Trump kept classified documents in the shower

Former US Attorney General William Barr has defended Special Counsel Jack Smith's 37-count indictment against Donald Trump, saying if the allegations the former president willfully retained highly classified documents are proven true, then "he's toast".

"I was shocked by the degree of sensitivity of these documents and how many there were, and I think the counts under the Espionage Act that he willfully retained those documents are solid counts," Barr, who served under Trump, told Fox News Sunday.

"If even half of it is true, then he's toast."

The comments from Barr, who was Trump's attorney general from February of 2019 through December of 2020, are notable and were made at a time when many other prominent Republicans have been hesitant to criticize the former president and current Republican front-runner in the 2024 White House race.

Trump responded to Barr's comments with criticism and insults. Describing Barr as a "lazy" and "weak" attorney general, Trump on his social media platform Truth Social said he only made the comments because he was disgruntled and that they were misinformation.

The former president is due to appear in a federal courthouse in Miami on Tuesday to make his initial appearance on the charges, which include the willful retention of highly sensitive national defense records under the Espionage Act, obstruction of justice, making false statements, conspiracy and concealment.

Trump told Politico on Saturday that he would continue his presidential campaign, even if he were convicted in the case, saying "I'll never leave."

He plans to make remarks at 8:15 pm on Tuesday (0015 GMT on Wednesday) at his Bedminster, New York, golf club, his presidential campaign said.

Of the 37 counts against Trump, 31 of them relate to secret and top secret classified documents that he kept after leaving the White House in early 2021.

The indictment alleges that Trump stored the documents in a haphazard manner at his home in Palm Beach, Florida, refused to give them back to the government, and tried to hide them from the FBI and even his own attorney after a grand jury issued him a subpoena demanding that he turn over all records bearing classified markings.

One photo included in the indictment shows boxes allegedly containing classified documents being stored in a bathroom at Mar-a-Lago, where events and gatherings took place. Some documents were stored in a bathroom and shower at the club, according to another photograph.

The indictment includes statements Trump made during his campaign and presidency indicating he understood the importance of handling classified material appropriately.

"In my administration, I'm going to enforce all laws concerning the protection of classified information," Trump said during his campaign in 2016. "No one is above the law."

His attorney Alina Habba, who is not representing him in the case, told "Fox News Sunday" that Trump is innocent of the charges and plans to vigorously defend himself in the case.

In the past, Barr has been a fierce defender of Trump, going so far as to appoint his own special counsel to probe whether the FBI improperly opened an investigation into Trump's 2016 presidential campaign over possible ties to Russia based on flimsy evidence.

But towards the end of his tenure, Barr's views on Trump soured after the former president tried to pressure the Justice Department to launch bogus voter fraud investigations, in a failed bid to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.